Earth Heating at Accelerating Rate; Human-Induced Global Warming Reaches 1.37°C in 2025 – Indian PSU

A major international climate assessment has found that human-induced global warming reached 1.37°C above pre-industrial levels in 2025, bringing the world significantly closer to breaching the Paris Agreement’s ambitious target of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Scientists warn that, at the current pace, this threshold could be crossed within the next four years.

The findings come from the latest Indicators of Global Climate Change (IGCC) 2025 report, published in the journal Earth System Science Data. The study involved more than 70 climate scientists from 56 institutions across 17 countries and provides an annual update on the state of the global climate system.

Earth’s Energy Imbalance at Record High

One of the report’s most significant findings relates to the Earth’s Energy Imbalance (EEI), a measure of how much excess heat is being retained within the climate system. Scientists report that the EEI has more than doubled compared with levels observed during 1976–1995, indicating that the planet is accumulating heat at an accelerating rate.

Researchers describe EEI as a critical indicator because it captures the overall pace of climate change. A higher imbalance means more heat is being stored in the atmosphere, oceans, and land systems, increasing the likelihood of future warming and climate-related impacts.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Remain at Historic Highs

The report highlights that global greenhouse gas emissions continue to remain at record levels. Human-induced warming increased at a rate of approximately 0.27°C per decade during 2016–2025, matching the highest rate observed in the instrumental climate record. Scientists attribute this trend primarily to sustained greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction in cooling aerosols resulting from efforts to curb air pollution.

While carbon dioxide emissions remain the dominant driver of warming, reductions in sulfur dioxide emissions have reduced the cooling effect previously provided by atmospheric aerosols, revealing more of the underlying warming caused by greenhouse gases.

Marine Heatwaves and Climate Extremes Intensifying

The report also introduces a new indicator tracking marine heatwaves. Scientists found that the number of days experiencing marine heatwaves has more than tripled since the early 1990s, highlighting the growing stress on ocean ecosystems.

Increasing ocean temperatures are associated with coral bleaching, disruptions to fisheries, and intensified weather events, including stronger storms and heavy rainfall episodes.

2025 Among Hottest Years on Record

Climate monitoring agencies have ranked 2025 among the three warmest years ever recorded globally. Researchers note that natural climate variability played only a limited role in last year’s temperatures, with human activities accounting for nearly all of the observed long-term warming trend.

Implications for Climate Policy

Scientists emphasize that the findings underline the urgency of accelerating emissions reductions worldwide. Although there are indications that the growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions may be slowing, overall emissions remain far above levels consistent with international climate goals.

The IGCC report is expected to serve as an important scientific reference for the upcoming Seventh Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Researchers have also stressed the importance of maintaining long-term climate observation systems and international monitoring programmes to track changes in the Earth’s climate accurately.

As governments prepare for future climate negotiations, the latest evidence suggests that decisions taken during the current decade will play a decisive role in determining whether global warming can still be limited to safer levels.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy